


untitled

by beerbad



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-06
Updated: 2010-03-06
Packaged: 2017-10-20 00:49:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/207043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beerbad/pseuds/beerbad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lexie's having a bad night and big sis is there to pick up the pieces.  Set in mid-S6.</p>
            </blockquote>





	untitled

**Author's Note:**

> After I wrote that Cara/Kahlan last night my mind flipped over to a dangling Meredith/Lexie plot bunny that I've had since episode... 6x11? But I was way too tired to turn my computer back on once again, so basically just thought the whole thing out. Then today I had the genius idea to go to Starbucks and write instead of going to the gym before work, and hey, I actually wrote stuff! This is very weird for me. But good. I'm not entirely convinced I didn't lose some of the original bunny over time, but maybe it shall resurface one day...
> 
> Dedicated to mammothluv and foibles_fables for being patient while I teased them and then didn't write anything. But hey, look!

Meredith was awoken suddenly by the all-too-familiar sound of somebody vomiting. As her eyes snapped open, she realized that the sound was too close to be coming from the bathroom. With a groan, Meredith lifted herself out of her very comfortable bed and opened the door, reluctantly walking into the hallway.

It was just as she had feared. There was Lexie, doubled over on her knees, puking her guts out all over her (thankfully) hardwood floor. Meredith took a moment to take in the sight in front of her, still too tired to attempt to come up with some explanation as to why her sister would be here, in her house, at this hour of the night. The vomiting, on the other hand, usually had an obvious cause. (This was _her_ house, after all.)

“Lexie,” Meredith said, as more exasperation than she had intended leaked into her voice. “What happened?!” She crouched down, still keeping a safe amount of distance between herself and the mess of a girl in front of her.

Meredith was relieved when Lexie stopped retching enough to answer her. “I broke up with Mark. It’s over. I came over here to get away from his place and Alex…” She trailed off, and Meredith just then realized that the door to Alex’s old room was partly ajar.

No, nothing good had happened here this night. “Lexie, you didn’t-!”

A flush returned to Lexie’s pale cheeks. “He had booze! Ugh, too much booze,” she choked out as she grabbed her stomach once again.

“Surrounding yourself with manwhores has its consequences, Lex. I told Derek to keep Mark away from you, damn it, if only people would listen to me once in awhile…”

“See, I kind of was expecting a bit more empathy, seeing as how you’re known for solving your problems by drinking and sleeping with inappropriate people… uh, or so I’ve heard,” Lexie caught herself, diverting her eyes from Meredith’s.

Meredith couldn’t help but smile at Lexie’s surprising forwardness. “It’s just a good thing Derek’s at the hospital tonight or you would have to watch me kick his ass.” Lexie managed a smile of her own. Meredith began to ask what had happened with Mark, but stopped herself when she remembered their position on the floor of the hallway and the putrid smell of vomit came back to her.

“Do you think there’s any more left in you?” Meredith asked. Lexie shook her head. Meredith gingerly took one of Lexie’s arms and helped her up into a standing position. She wobbled, but thankfully held her footing. “Okay, come on,” Meredith said as she placed her hand on the small of Lexie’s back, guiding her into the bathroom.

Meredith must’ve still been exceedingly tired because before she knew what she was doing, she was putting her arms around Lexie’s waist, tugging the bottom of her shirt up.

“Lift up your arms.” Meredith thought she felt Lexie freeze for a moment in surprise, but then she did as Meredith asked. From behind her sister, Meredith finished pulling the sweat-soaked shirt over Lexie’s head and tossed it onto the bathroom floor. It was then that Meredith realized she could probably handle the rest of the undressing by herself and went over to turn on the shower.

When she turned back around, Lexie had indeed finished the job, the late hour and her sickness preventing Lexie from showing embarrassment at her now naked state. “Get in, I’ll be back in a minute.”

Meredith first went to her dresser and picked out a tank top and some old sweatpants for Lexie to wear, placing them on the counter in the bathroom. The stench coming from the hallway caught her again as she realized she should probably do something about that. Meredith grabbed some cleaning supplies from the cabinet under the bathroom sink and went back out into the hallway. She was being a good sister, she thought to herself as she scrubbed. Big sisters were supposed to help clean up their little sisters’ throw up, she was pretty sure.

By the time she was finished, Lexie was standing in the bathroom wearing the pajamas Meredith had laid out for her. “I see you managed to get those on all by yourself,” Meredith said before instantly regretting it. She chided herself. Sisterly, she thought, be sisterly.

Lexie moved back towards Alex’s door. “Oh no you don’t,” Meredith said as she firmly grabbed Lexie’s wrist. “You’ve had enough manwhores for tonight, that’s not going to help anything.” Lexie reluctantly and slowly followed Meredith into her bedroom, the intensity of her exhaustion finally showing itself on her face and in her posture.

Meredith was grateful when Lexie climbed into one side of the bed without being prompted, lying on her side with her arms up under her head. Meredith got back into her side, wondering if she should try to talk to Lexie about what had happened or just let the exhaustion take her. She looked over at Lexie’s back.

“He wanted to raise Sloan’s baby with me. He wanted commitment and I broke up with him,” came Lexie’s small voice, making the decision for her.

“He’s _Mark_ ,” Meredith replied. “I’m sorry, Lexie, but it’s probably better this way.” A pang in her chest told Meredith she might have been being insensitive.

“What way? Me being alone?” Even without seeing her face, Meredith could hear the tears in Lexie’s voice.

“You’re not alone. You have people. You have your friends, and you have me. You’re a freaking surgeon for god’s sake, Lexie, and not a surgical intern, but an actual surgical resident! Your life isn’t empty.” Lexie didn’t respond, but Meredith could still hear her ragged breathing.

She let the silence hang in the air between them for a long moment, she wasn’t sure exactly how long.

Meredith could hear Lexie’s quiet sobs coming from the other side of the bed. She rolled onto her side, moving closer, until her breath touched the back of Lexie’s neck.

“Lexie,” Meredith whispered as she rubbed her sister’s arm. “It’s gonna be okay.”  
She could feel Lexie’s chest heaving with her sobs. Meredith brought her hand up to stroke Lexie’s hair. “It’s gonna be okay,” she repeated, and hoped Lexie believed her. “Now take a deep breath and relax for me.”

To her astonishment, Lexie’s breathing began to slow as she quieted, settling back into Meredith. Maybe she was getting better at this big sister thing than she’d thought.


End file.
